BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After having the midweek off, the Samford women's basketball team returns to action on Saturday for the final home game of the 2022-23 season against the Mercer Bears. 
   
 The pivotal SoCon showdown between the Bulldogs and Bear is scheduled for 2 pm CT and the game can be streamed on ESPN+. Samford game notes can be found here. 
 
Saturday will be Senior Day for the Bulldogs as Samford will celebrate the contributions of Kathleen Wheeler and Andrea Bailey. Two cornerstones of the Carley Kuhns era, Wheeler is the longest-tenured Bulldog on the Sam­ford roster, while Bailey has rewritten the record books in just three short years as a Bulldog, ranking top 10 in seven different categories.
 
Not only will the Bulldogs be celebrating senior day, but it will also be the program's annual Red Out and the final women's game for the Samford Superfan Sweepstakes. Students who check-in will earn 10 points toward the personal and group sweepstakes.  
 
Samford enters with 13-14 while being 7-4 in SoCon play after dropping a 60-55 decision to Chattanooga last time out. Mercer is 10-14 and 6-5. 
  
The Bulldogs and Bears are meeting for the 33rd time in series history. Mercer leads the all-time series 23-9. The Bears have won the last four meetings, both in Chattanooga. The last time the two squads met, Baliey and Masyn Marchbanks combined for 45 points in a 70-63 losing effort.
 
Before being named to the starting lineup against Wofford, redshirt freshman Carly Heidger was the most impactful Bulldog off the bench this season appearing in all but one game. Since the start of conference play, the forward is one of four Bulldogs averaging 9.5 points per game with 4.6 rebounds in SoCon Play. In her first career start, Heidger scored 23 points against Wofford, which is the most by a freshman in the Kuhns era.
 
Bailey is once again playing at a SoCon Player of the Year level Bailey is averaging 17.7 points per game, which ranks first in the SoCon and 48th nationally. The second closest lead­ing in the SoCon is averaging 15.8 points. The senior also ranks Top 50 nationally in free throw percentage (32nd/86.6%), steals (11th/75) and steals per game (11th/3.12).
 
With Sanaa Redmond out of the lineup from Jan. 12 until Feb. 9 with a lower-body injury, Masyn March­banks has stepped into the starting role. Marchbanks scored a season-best 22 points in back-to-back games against Mercer and Furman. The freshman is averaging 16.1 points per game since entering the starting lineup.
 
Entering the Mercer game, Samford is 11-3 on the year when the Bulldogs score at least 65 points.
 
Samford is 3-1 on the season when sinking 10 or more  threes in a game. The only loss came to Wofford when the Bulldogs hit 11 threes in the defeat.  
 
Since arriving on campus before the 2019-20 season, coach Kuhns and the Bulldogs are 35-17 in SoCon play overall.
   
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For the latest news and information on Samford women's basketball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordWomensBasketball (Facebook), @SamfordWBB (Instagram) and @SamfordWBB (Twitter).